Gas turbine engines are used to power aircraft, watercraft, power generators, and the like. Gas turbine engines typically include a compressor, a combustor, and a turbine. The compressor compresses air drawn into the engine and delivers high pressure air to the combustor. In the combustor, fuel is mixed with the high pressure air and is ignited. Hot, high-pressure products of the combustion reaction in the combustor are directed into the turbine where work is extracted to drive the compressor and, sometimes, an output shaft. Left-over products of the combustion are exhausted out of the turbine and may provide thrust in some applications.
Turbines typically include alternating stages of static vane assemblies and rotating wheel assemblies. Rotating wheel assemblies can be made from disks with a number of blades coupled around a periphery thereof. To withstand hot combustion products from the combustor, designing rotating wheel assemblies that incorporate materials designed to withstand high temperatures is an area of interest. Ceramic matrix composite materials can withstand high temperatures but present design challenges related to mechanical strength and durability.